Precursor of Chaos
by kamaleen
Summary: Ahsoka started to regret her decision of coming to this place. She had never expected someone to be here, and now she was stuck with Maul. Even worse, she knew what he said was true. Without his help, she wouldn't get what she came here for, neither a way out of this labyrinth. [Darth Maul/Ahsoka Tano] Prequel to Star Wars Rebels
**Hi! I finally did it, after many attempts to write the story of Maul and Ahsoka after I've heard him called her 'Lady Tano' on Star Wars Rebels season 2 finale - Twilight of the Apprentice. And, since they have announced that there would be a novel of Ahoska released later this year, I hope I will get this fan-fiction done before the novel comes out.**

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Ahsoka wasn't sure what leaded her here, on a clearly abandoned planet which was now overran by scavengers and pirates. Speaking of pirates, it made her thought about her many encounters with Hondo – which weren't very happy memories.

The Togruta chose not to go anywhere near the camps she saw from her ships. She landed her ship somewhere far from them, carefully hiding it behind large rocks on the shoulders of grey mountains where she could see the whole are of the large wasteland ahead. Some parts of it were opaque with fog and steam. There were several underground hot springs, but the land wasn't infertile enough for any plants to grow.

She monitored the activities below until nightfall, and slowly made her way down the mountains. This was clearly a base of the pirates and their scavengers, but also a place of an ancient temple she was searching for.

* * *

Several standard days ago, Ahsoka had discovered an old Jedi holocron from a junkyard of someone who had no idea what it was. She took it and get herself into a ship, set course to somewhere before opening the holocron while the ship was traveling in a hyperspace.

The holocron showed her a map of Jedi temples – or what she assumed to be Jedi temples. The map also showed her which temple had stored holocrons, Jedi Holocrons. And with the threat from the Empire - roaming and searching for each temples and the knowledge they held; Ahsoka decided to visit each on the planets the Empire hadn't yet to employ their troops, or simply wasn't interested in employing their troops.

The first temple Ahsoka had searched provided her with some scrolls written in an ancient language, which she kept and decided to try decipher them later. The second temple had stored many holocrons with the name of many Force sensitive children, which she took them all and delivered them to Senator Organa; they were safer with him. Honestly, Ahsoka wanted to give them to Master Yoda, but she didn't know where he was – and he didn't tell her. She had tried to contact Master Kenobi through the Force – knowing that he was still alive. However, the older man said that he couldn't keep the holocrons, it would be even riskier with him. So, with all choices she had, Ahsoka decided to trust Senator Organa.

* * *

It took Ahsoka several minutes to reach the ground, and she went straight to the nearest area that covered in steam. She sensed that the entrance was around here somewhere, and she had to hurry because it was clear that those scavengers and pirates used these Hot-Spring to drink and bath. There might be several of them still in here, relaxing in the hot water.

Ahsoka proceeded with caution as she made her journey to the entrance leading down. To be honest, she nearly walked into those thugs twice, thanked to the Force for keeping her safe.

The entrance was covered by a large rock, which Ahsoka had no problem moving it out of the way. In front of her, a stairs leading down and down, and down she walked.

It took her several minutes to reach the bottom of it, as a narrow path expanded into a large chamber. And at the end of it, a door leading into the temple. However, there was something different about this place. She knew it was strong with the Force, but this was not a Jedi temple.

It was a Sith temple.

"This is not good." Ahsoka gulped, stepping back. However, as she turned back, a large stone slid down from the ceiling and blocked the way back. She had no choice but to go forward, into the temple.

"This is very not good." The Togruta sighed. She knew she had no other choice except for entering the temple and tried to find a way out.

What greeted her behind the large door was, literally, a maze. There were passages with many doors and many turns.

Moreover, lurking within the temple, a dark essence from the past. Even that this temple had been abandoned for years, the darkness from its former residents still lingered. That made Ahsoka shut herself from the Force, afraid of the darkness might consume her. She had never been training much on how to block her thought and her mind, she was afraid she might be overwhelmed.

However, after an hour Ahsoka knew that she was lost. Normally she would use the Force to help her find the way, but with such darkness lingered in this place, Ahsoka wasn't confident that she wouldn't be overwhelmed by the evil still lurking in this place from many years ago.

"Okay, where am I…exactly?" The former Jedi sighed, still holding up her white lightsaber. On the wall and the ceiling surrounded her were ancient language written in cursive. She could make out some words, but they didn't give her any clue of how should she proceed. Most what she could read were 'knowledge', 'Power', 'Sacrifice', and 'Guidance'.

* * *

So, after nearly three hours or so, Ahsoka gave up not using the Force. She sat down, turning off her lightsaber and closed her eyes.

 _Just a little bit._

 _The darkness won't hurt you, just a little guidance from the Force. If the darkness approaches, black it._

Ahsoka told herself, before she slowly let the Force flew through her. The touch of darkness was unappealing, but at least she felt like she knew where to go. She could sense a presence of something, of knowledge, somewhere in this maze. She could reach that thing, and she hoped it might show her the way out.

It took Ahsoka less than ten minutes to reach a room where she felt the presence of knowledge. The door was opened, and she could hear a faint breathing from someone inside.

 _Breathing?_

Ahsoka frowned, her hand tightened on her lightsaber as she walked into the small chamber. There were many thing that looked like furniture, chairs and bookshelves, but they were all covered in dust.

And, at the corner or the room, she saw a hooded figure sitting with his body curving in as if it was in pain.

"Hello, what are you doing here young Jedi?"

A hoarse voice greeted her, as the source of it – the hooded figure, perked up. It wasn't enough for her to see its face, but from the voice Ahsoka could tell that the being in front of her was a male.

"I… who are you?" Ahsoka asked, couldn't help but pointing her lightsaber at the stranger. Better be careful than be sorry.

"I'm just a wanderer." The hooded figure said. "And I know why you are here, Jedi. You're finding something. Something so precious. And I know where to find it."

"Yeah? What make you think you know my reason to come here?" Ahsoka said, still pointing her lightsaber the stranger who made no move to stand up.

"This temple keeps only one thing, knowledge. There is one thing that usually survives all wars – holocrons." The stranger replied, titled his head to the side. Ahsoka stepped a bit closer and now saw a pattern of black tattoo on the other's skin; the stranger didn't wear shirt. "It was in a chamber, not far away from here. But I…I'm too weak to go in there alone. There is a test before you enter – a test of strength. I just… I can't…" The stranger trailed off, and Ahsoka walked closer until she saw the red skin and black tattoo.

Alarmed kicked in, and Ahsoka backed away.

"You are Darth Maul." She growled, both lightsabers in her hands now. However, the Zabrak on the floor only flinched away.

"I was." He said. "I was, indeed. But I am not a Sith anymore. There can be only two Siths, a Master and an Apprentice. I was casted aside." She could hear a bitter sadness and anger in his voice. She knew he was telling the truth. "I was once in charge, Jedi. Now I'm here, powerless, old, and weak."

Ahsoka knew Maul, but never met him in person. The 'Master' of the two Siths had replaced Maul with Count Dooku after his defeat on Naboo. Yet, he came back, and caused a lot of troubles for Mandalore and Master Kenobi. He killed Duchess Satine. However, she had heard Master Kenobi analysed Maul's actions with her former master. Master Kenobi had stated that his decision to become evil was never his; he was forced and then darkness consumed him, even with a touch of the light still could not pull him back.

She hadn't met him on a day she and Rex rescued Mandalore from his threat. She wasn't sure why Maul wasn't on Mandalore, but she had a feeling that he wouldn't answer it right away.

"I believe you on the part that you're no longer a Sith." Ahsoka said carefully. Maul then looked at her, and she could see his yellow eyes. "But that didn't mean I will trust you. Your reputation precedes you."

"Yes…I know…trust is one of the hardest thing to gain." Maul said, voice too plain for Ahsoka to crack the meaning behind his eyes. And she stopped herself from reading his emotions and intension from by the Force, not now - not in here. "But I believe we can work together. I'm too weak to get out on my own, and you need a guide."

"How can I trust you not to backstab me once we reach that chamber you spoke of?" Ahsoka said, looking into Maul's eyes. "And how can I trust you to know where that chamber is?"

"I can read the language written all over the place." Maul replied, his voice was calm but his eyes were glittering. "It is clear that you cannot, or you won't be here." The former Sith chuckled. "By the way, what's your name? You already know all about me."

Ahsoka was hesitated to answer that question. Even that she wasn't a Jedi, that didn't mean she would trust others to know her true name.

"You can call me Fulcrum." She said, carefully. However, Mauls' eyes glittered and he chuckled.

"That's not your true name, Jedi." He said, sitting back. "We're not going anywhere without you telling me a bit of truth about yourself. Or do you really want to reject your past? It's impossible. The more you reject, the more it will keep coming back to you."

"That's not your business." Ahsoka said. She was surprised, and Maul's words hurt. Not much, but still hurt. She had nearly re-joined the Jedi Order, but then the War ends as all Jedi were slaughtered. She didn't know what she should feel about it – sad or relieved to be one of the very few who survived.

"Well…" Maul shook his head and coughed. He looked very old and fragile, but Ahsoka knew better than to let his appearance deceived her; Maul was truly dangerous whether in which situations. "...what should I call you then?" The Zabrak asked again, and Ahsoka felt torn between telling the truth and got going or tried to lie again.

In the end, she chose to try her luck that Maul would not backstab her with this information.

"My name is Ahsoka." Ahsoka said, waiting for his response. And she immediately regretted her decision as Maul's eyes brightened up even more.

"Oh, you're that Ahsoka. It's Ahsoka Tano, isn't it? I've heard that you overthrew Death Watch and freed mandalore." Maul said, grinning. "Even that you're not in the Order anymore, I have to say that I am impressed."

"You're not angry with me throwing you off power?" Ahsoka asked. "You seemed to have invested a lot in that criminal organization of yours."

"By the time you're on Mandalore, I wasn't there." Maul chuckled darkly, Ahsoka could hear his anger rising. "If I was, maybe we would have had a very memorable encounter."

"Yeah, but that's the past now." Ahsoka said, stepping back to give Maul a room to stand. "Now, should we get going?"

"Right, Lady Tano."

"I... I'm not a Lady." Ahsoka frowned, glaring at the Zabrak who couldn't still get up to his feet. "If you want me to help you out, you better get on my good side."

"Oh, but you're a lady." Maul smiled. "And calling someone who is a lady as 'Lady' wouldn't be impolite."

"Maul, I can just leave you here." Ahsoka growled. She almost let annoyance showed in her voice. She had a feeling that Maul enjoyed her irritation, and she wasn't going to give him any more satisfactions. She had more important matters to focus on.

"Too bad, Lady Tano." Maul laughed, his eyes were glittering with something dark and dangerous. "We both know you need me as much as I need you. We have to work together, even temporary. Now, gray Jedi, help me up. I will show you the way to the chamber and the thing you seek."

Ahsoka started to regret her decision of coming to this place. She had never expected someone to be here, and now she was stuck with Maul. Even worse, she knew what he said was true. Without his help, she wouldn't get what she came here for, neither a way out of this labyrinth.


End file.
